Earlier this year, the Italian watchmaking brand, which is wholly owned by the Swiss-based Richemont S.A. financial group that also happens to control such well-established trademarks as IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Vacheron Constantin, has revealed its new Panerai Luminor Chrono Daylight Titanium Blue Dial (PAM 326) automatic watch. And look what a stunner it is! Combining a well-proportioned satin-brushed body with blue sunburst dial, which is perfectly matched by brutal yet refined blue leather strap, the new timekeeper will probably appeal to the kind of enthusiasts that are looking for a timepiece that looks different from the rest of the pack, but still wears the name of the famous Italian watchmaker.

While I am definitely far from being PAM’s greatest fan, their relatively new Panerai Luminor Chrono Daylight 44 mm Titanium Blue Dial chronograph watch somehow touched my heart. Although quite large at 44 millimeters in diameter and also very thick at whole 16 mm from top to bottom, the gadget will nevertheless look great on a muscular hand, which is attached to a muscular body.

Living in jeans, it is easy for me to visualize the PAM 326 model curled tightly over my left wrist.

My main problem with PAMs is that they, to my taste, a little bit overdo it exploiting the military theme. I mean, for watches with MSRP hovering around $8000, they are too damn “professional”-looking. Still, if the price is not a problem, I must admit that this is one of the most attractive tool watches currently available on the market. As you can see, every single part of the device is well thought over making an almost perfect timekeeper.

The fact that the watchmaker prefers to use mass-produced ETA calibers –although they are adjusted to meet strict COSC standards– doesn’t add them too much value in my eyes, but at least makes it easier to service or repair the mechanism if anything goes wrong: it is indeed difficult to find a serviceman that either doesn’t know how to fix an ETA-based movement or doesn’t have spare parts for it.

However, despite the fact that it is, too, powered by a run-off-the-mill caliber that was only slightly decorated to better suit the gorgeous body, this particular model makes a very, very good impression.

Maybe, it is because its blue dial and alligator leather strap of matching color look especially great when combined with grayish color of brushed high-grade titanium.

Even the Italian brand’s trademark lever bridge that protects the winding crown doesn’t look too bulky on this model. And surrounding it inevitable chronograph push-pieces don’t smart the eye thanks to their relatively small size.

Although the hour and minute hand look a trifle too short for me, they provide enough contrast for daylight legibility and there seems to be just enough SuperLuminova coating on just about everything to make sure that you will always be able to tell the right time at night.